China, RCMP ink deal to battle flow of deadly fentanyl

The RCMP and China’s public security ministry have signed a memorandum of understanding to work together to fight the illegal trafficking of fentanyl into Canada.

RCMP Commisioner Bob Paulson met with Chinese vice-minister Chen Zhimin this week in Ottawa, where both sides agreed to strengthen coordinated law-enforcement to “disrupt the supply of fentanyl and synthetic opioids.”

Further discussions will take place next week.

“Fentanyl and other opioids pose a grave threat to the safety of Canadian communities,” Paulson said, who called the meeting “an important step forward and highlights the commitment between our two organizations to enhance operational collaboration, identify key areas of concern, and work towards a coordinated approach to combat fentanyl trafficking.”

B.C. Public Safety Minister Mike Morris and Minister of Health Terry Lake issued a statement, saying collaboration between the countries will allow enforcement to “be stronger across all our provincial and international borders.”

On Nov. 3, a package of Furanyl-fentanyl from China was intercepted at the Vancouver International Mail Centre, the RCMP said. In June, a kilogram of carfentanil from China was seized by the Canada Border Services Agency in Vancouver.

This week, the Vancouver Police Department announced it detected carfentanil in drugs seized during an arrest in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside from back in September.

The agreement with China follows Premier Christy Clark call out to the federal government last week, asking them “to assert diplomatic pressure on China to stem the production and export of fentanyl and other highly dangerous synthetic opioids.”